WEEKLY WHINE
Here is GoobNet's team by team review of the American Capture the Flag League's 2002-3 regular season, along with a preview of the 2003 Flag Final between the Capcoms and the Plankton, which opens at 00:00 UTC on FRI 10 APR 2003.
The Insomniacs looked more like sleepwalkers this season. Their five match losing streak to start 2003 did them in, but this was a team that showed signs of improvement going into the season. Laura "Ladybug" D'Array continues to develop, and MB should be looking to sign her to a contract extension by the end of next season, when she becomes a free agent.
Record: 2-1-8 [7 pts]
The expansion Cabhounds were greeted enthusiastically with five straight losses to open the season. One of the few bright spots this year was their last minute win over their expansion brethren, the Firebirds. Enrique Caballero was the hero of that match, sprinting over a kilometre through Phoenix streets to evade the opposition and reach his teammates in the getaway vehicle. He could be a leader on this team for years to come.
Record: 2-2-7 [8 pts]
Five weeks into the season, San Francisco had eight points and looked to be making a run at the Flag Final. But that was before a gruelling stretch against Cleveland, Los Angeles, Houston, and Chicago, the teams who would finish in the top four. The team have integrated well, but they continue to lack the experience needed to defeat the upper tier of clubs. Expect them to pursue a high profile free agent such as Alexander Nembrov or Trina Vance.
Record: 2-2-7 [8 pts]
The Fermions, the rest of the league agrees, did not play to their potential. At his best, Douglas Rosecrans singlehandedly salvaged a draw with the Picketers in week 3 of the season. At his worst, he made two poor decisions in week 9 that allowed the Antibodies to ditch town with the Fermions' flag. With such little talent surrounding him, Santa Fe's fortunes are identically those of Rosecrans.
Record: 3-1-7 [10 pts]
Boston were up and down throughout the year, scoring big wins over Chicago and Atlanta but managing only a draw with Myrtle Beach and losing to San Francisco. Their offseason trade with Seattle, which brought in Al McGwire, led to a comical moment between the sides when McGwire, thinking he recognised a hand signal from his days with the Stimulants, led his teammates into a pond trying to cut off an escape route. The "signal" turned out to be someone flipping a coin idly.
Record: 3-2-6 [11 pts]
The league's other expansion team for this year, the Firebirds, spent the season overachieving. Four wins in their first seven matches gave them unfounded confidence, and their inexperience left them open when they failed to post a rearguard at their flag site, which gave Enrique Caballero an escape corridor. But they responded by being overly cautious in their last two matches, missing at least two good flag theft opportunities against Cleveland.
Record: 4-0-7 [12 pts]
The Stimulants made great strides this season after a last placed finish in 2002. Bo Smith and Lisa Laya, acquired in trades with the Lemmings and Nondescripts respectively, instantly became offensive leaders and gave this team a game plan. Laya should consider a switch to defense; although she has not played that position since high school, the existing defensive unit is crying out for an experienced leader.
Record: 5-3-3 [18 pts]
This was another good season for the league's default bridesmaids. Despite making several offseason changes, the Antibodies remained in the upper tier of clubs, with wins against Cleveland and Los Angeles to open the season. Before long, new acquisition Kyle Cumberland had established himself as the de facto leader, and under him, the Antibodies may soon begin to disinfect their opposition.
Record: 6-1-4 [19 pts]
The Lemmings were in eleventh place after five matches, and talented but volatile attacker John Pidgeworth had already been cautioned three times. He was then sent to the bench for the Houston match, and Trina Vance brought in. Vance, who in four years with the Lemmings had never shown any particular abilities, suddenly became remarkably perceptive. She will undoubtedly be a hot commodity on the free agency market this offseason.
Record: 7-0-4 [21 pts]
The Irony missed a berth in the Flag Final by a point, their shortfall tracing to a week 8 draw with the Stimulants. Their normally effective attacking trio of Charles Morgambi, Jim Ruand, and Victoria Stuntham was held in check in that match, as Seattle seemingly knew the attackers' moves before they did. Film of that match should be required viewing for all future Irony opponents.
Record: 7-3-1 [24 pts]
Houston's midseason slump of one win in four matches corresponded with the most difficult part of the schedule, and it is to their credit that they rose to the occasion and won four in a row to lock in their trip to San Diego. Melissa Polanco is due to retire at the end of the season, and as one of the league's founding members, it fits that she should have one more chance at a championship.
Record: 8-1-2 [25 pts]
This was another stellar season for the Plankton, who are looking to receive their third championship in four years. They have torched the league since the New Year's break, winning their last seven league matches. Continuity was the key for Chicago: the roster is essentially unchanged from the previous season, and few injuries meant that the team could work together well. If the ACFL had a MVP award, it would go to defender Jeff O'Lyon, whose leadership is second to none.
Record: 8-2-1 [26 pts]
In the first encounter between these teams, Chicago launched a relentless series of attacks, and it was not long before the flag had left Houston. This time, the Capcoms will not be sitting idly by. Watch for them to launch an early offensive, a move that Chicago should have little trouble stopping. After that things should progress slowly until the final push, when the Plankton will, as usual, dominate.
GoobNet's forecast: Plankton by eleven hours
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